Capturing Memories, I Love You
by StoryReader888
Summary: "I Love You; I don't want to be apart from you", Coyote StarkxOC


**Title:** Capturing Memories

**Contest:** Amaranthus' "Photographs in Motion" Contest (Quizilla)

**Type:** Ficlet (800 Words+)

**Anime:** Bleach

**Character:** Coyote Stark

**Warning(s):**

Mild Cussing (Middle)

Cliche Themes

First Person/OC

Japanese Words Scattered throughout (translations at bottom)

**Author's Notes:**

I'm actually really surprised that this is as long as it is. I mean, wow. I'm pretty sure this doesn't qualify as a "Ficlet", it's more of a one shot I think... I just started writing and this is the result. I've been on a bit of a Stark obsession lately, so it was only natural. There's no real reason why I chose first person, but that's just how the fic started and it seemed to flow properly so I didn't want to change it. During the ending, the song "_Something Right_" by Westlife started to play, so the ending is probably pretty cliche, but hopefully it's still good.

Anyway, this is for Amaranthus' contest on Quizilla. I'm writing four ficlets, each with a different character and prompt. This is the first one~

As for the "after fic special" thing at the end, I don't even know. I just had to do it, but I'm not so sure it flows with the rest of the fic. Which is why it's an "after fic" thing. See?

* * *

**I Love You; I don't want to be apart from you.**

**Coyote Stark**

When the Aizen Army incident first began, I didn't think much of it. I didn't think about the Espada, who they were and where they came from. I just knew I had to stop them. To me, at that time, they were mere enemies that had to be stopped. I never once stopped to think of the reason behind _why_ they were following Aizen. To be honest, it didn't matter to me. I had never cared about my enemies before, so why bother doing it now? It was foolish. Of course, for those who already knew Aizen, Gin, and Tousen, it was difficult for them. But no one was familiar with the Espada. And I was no exception.

I stood atop one of the buildings in Karakura Town, staying alert for any Espada level hollows that decided to appear. While everyone else was busy, this was my job. And the reason for me being appointed this job was simple; I was more sensitive to Reiatsu than the others, and I was able to feel it farther away and pick it up alot quicker than others could. It was a really handy skill that I was thankful to be born with. That being said, I caught wind of a spiritual pressure that did not belong to a soul reaper or a human. I knew it was an Espada, but it was very faint. Whoever it was, they were damn good at hiding their reiatsu. But I could still track it.

Jumping from building to building, I found myself outside of the town in a fairly large forest. The reiatsu was coming from deep within, and I knew it was risky to be going in alone, but if I wasted time contacting the others, I might lose him. If worse came to worse, they'd feel our reiatsu when we began fighting. My job was to stop him from getting away, and that's exactly what I planned to do.

When I got to the clearing, I hid behind a tree to see if it was anyone I had seen before. Ulquiorra, Yammy, and Grimmjow were the only ones that I had met, and this new Espada was not one of them. He was tall and skinny, with dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders in small waves. He wore the typical Espada uniform, but it was tailored to the way he liked it, as all of them were. He seemed too relaxed to be in enemy territory, though. He was laying back against a tree, his arms behind his head and eyes closed. He didn't seem too threatening. Then again, neither did Yachiru, and we all know how terrifying her power can be.

"How long do you plan to hide, Shinigami?" he asked without opening his eyes.

I scowled at him, coming from around the tree and into the clearing. As I got closer, I noticed a little girl with him, sitting against the tree to his left. She was short, maybe Hitsugaya's height, with blonde hair. One of her eyes was covered by her mask, but the other was a violet, pink color. "Who are you? And why are you in the World of the Living? Did Aizen send you?"

At first, neither of them said anything, and I thought they might not answer. But after a few silent moments, the male opened his eyes, revealing them to be a beautiful shade of blue, and stared at me lazily like he had no interest in this conversation. "Aizen-sama sent us here,"

"To do what?"

The girl leaned forward, narrowing her eye at the male beside her. "He sent us here for recon, but Stark is too lazy!"

"It's a troublesome job," the male yawned, closing his eyes again. "He should of sent someone else,"

"But he sent _us_!" she scowled before looking up at me, her expression anything but friendly. "You lookin' for a fight?"

"Lilinette," the male scolded, opening his eyes again to send her a pointed look. "Don't make me fight a pointless fight,"

"Stop being lazy!" she yelled, jumping up and pointing an accusing finger at him.

As the two argued, I couldn't help but stare at the Male Espada. He seemed... _different_ from the others. I really couldn't explain it. But there was an air around him, I couldn't quite place what it was. There was no doubt that he was powerful, but there was something else. It was... It was... "Loneliness," I muttered to myself, but he heard me, turning his eyes to me.

"Nani?"

"Erm..." Had I dug my own grave? Probably. Did I continue digging? 'Course. "You seem... lonely," I furrowed my brow as I analyzed him. I could feel it in my mind and in my gut. This guy was different, in a good way. He wasn't emotionless, like Ulquiorra, or stupid like Yammy. And he wasn't fight-hungry like Grimmjow. To be honest, it seemed like he wanted no part of this. So why would he be following Aizen? It made no sense.

Something flickered through his eyes, but it was gone as fast as it came. Lilinette snapped her attention to me, huffing and walking over. She stopped right infront of me, her eye filled with anger. "What do you know about him, huh? You don't know anything! So don't act like you do!"

"I didn't mean it that way," I muttered, staring down at her; she reached just above my stomach. "That's just... that's what it feels like when I look at 'em..."

"Then maybe you should stop looking at him!"

"Lilinette," he sighed, resting a gloved hand to his forehead. "Stop it,"

"But she - !"

"Enough, Lilinette." his voice was stern, but his eyes betrayed him. They looked just as lonely as his aura had indicated, and they were holding pain. I... I couldn't stop it. I felt bad for him, and I wanted to know more. I knew I was getting in over my head, but I wanted to know more about him.

"Ano..." the pair looked at me and I smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head. "Can I have your names?" I had heard them say their names, but I wanted to hear it from them, and get their full name.

"What for?" Lilinette snapped, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

"Curiousity,"

"Curiousity killed the cat," she stuck her tongue out at me as if she'd won.

I grinned. "Good thing I'm not a cat, huh?"

Her eye twitched, a tic mark appearing on her head. "Yeah - ! Well - !" I laughed as she sighed in defeat, hanging her head. "Fine! You win! My name's Lilinette Gingerback,"

"Jordan Midori, nice to meet you, Lilinette."

She humph-ed, looking over at Stark expectantly, but he wasn't paying attention. A big red tic mark appeared on the back of her head and she walked over, kicking him hard inbetween the legs. He fell forward, clutching his private area with a strangled groan. "I told you... to stop... doing that...!"

She simply humph-ed in return, turning her back to him. "You should of been listening! What if she would of killed me while you were daydreaming, huh?"

I winced, slowly approaching the fallen Espada and resting a hand on his shoulder. "You gonna be alright? She looked like she got you pretty good..."

"I always do," she grinned proudly over her shoulder.

"That's not something to me proud of!" I muttered under my breath, kneeling down next to him.

Ater a couple more minutes, he fell back onto the grass, his blue eyes closed and his arm covering them even though he was under the shade of the tree. "Coyote Stark,"

"Eh?" I blinked at him.

"His name, idiot, his name!"

"Oh.. right,"

Stark looked over at me, moving his arm up to his forehead. "Do you plan to kill us? Or take us to Soul Society?"

I stared at the lush green grass below me, watching as it rustled in the wind. When I had first arrived at the clearing, it was my full intention to bring him to Soul Society, or kill him if he resisted. But now... I just didn't know. If I let him go, would that count as a betrayal to Soul Society? I mean, it's not like I'm letting **Aizen** go. This guy seemed harmless enough, and he hasn't done anything wrong to my knowledge. It wouldn't hurt... right?

"Well?" Lilinette screamed, the sound louder since she had moved closer in what I assumed to be anticipation. She obviously wasn't a very patient Espada. Wait... _was_ she an Espada?

I let out a sigh, turning my gaze up to the baby blue sky, trying to ignore the bickering of my heart and mind. "Iie,"

"Eh?" she blinked, leaning forward.

"I won't try to kill you. And I have no intention of trying to take you in," I closed my eyes, my decision made. My heart was cheering, while my mind simply sighed in defeat. It was always like this. They'd battle, but only one could win. They never agreed on anything, so I couldn't have it both ways. It was one or the other, and both were fully capable of screwing me over.

"Magi?" she blinked again. "Then why are you here?"

"That **was** my intention... at first,"

"What changed it?"

"I wish I could answer that," I muttered, scowling at the ground. Even I didn't understand it.

"Well, since you're here, you can make yourself useful!" She pointed her finger at me, a grin on her lips. I merely blinked, wondering just what she meant by that.

"Lilinette," Stark called in a warning tone, but he was ignored by the smaller hollow.

"Since we're here, I wanna try some human food! Go get me some!"

My eye twitched. This brat was sure demanding, wasn't she? Wait... "Since when can Hollows eat human food?" I raised a brow, cocking my head to the side.

"We can still eat stuff like that," she sent me an offended look, re-crossing her arms. "We just choose not to. Gin-sama has always offered us food, but it didn't look right,"

I smiled wearily, looking away from her. I remembered Gin's cooking well from before he betrayed Soul Society. He would always try to cook for me and Matsumoto, but the food he made was far from edible. We always had a routine for that situation, something the two of us called _Dash and Break_. While Matsumoto destracted the silver haired male, I'd grab the food and sneak out, feeding it to the wonderful plants... And Gin always wondered why they died. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the memory. Stupid Gin. He hurt so many people when he left.

I failed to notice Stark staring intently at me, but I didn't miss his voice. That voice of his could cut through even the deepest of my thoughts. "Don't bother her if she doesn't want to go, Lilinette,"

"But I want to try _real_ human food!"

"Why bother?" he sighed, closing his eyes. "You probably won't get it again. It's too troublesome,"

"She doesn't mind, right Mido?"

"Mido?" my eyebrow twitched. The hell had she managed to come up with the **exact same** nickname that Ikkaku uses to annoy me?

"And don't go giving people nicknames without their permission," he scolded.

"You're so mean, Stark! Don't do this, don't do that! That's all you ever say!" she cried, fists clenched at her sides.

With a sigh, I stood up, readjusting my sword on my side. "What do you want?"

She blinked up at me before registering what I meant. "You mean you're going?"

I shrugged, looking away. "Got nothin' better to do. _Though I am supposed to be patrolling_..."

"Great! I don't know the difference, so just get me whatever, kay?"

I sighed, shaking my head and walking away. I could faintly make out Stark scolding her again, but I didn't catch what about. A smile made it's way onto my lips. I had only known those two for, hell, less than an hour, and already I felt close to them. This was a dangerous feeling. I knew it was. But I couldn't bear the thought of giving up Stark. I felt drawn to him, as cliche as that was. But that's what love is, right? One big cliche. Wait...

I froze in the middle of the street, feeling a sense of dread wash over my mind. Did I... just say _Love_? I hadn't even known him for an hour and I'm talking about love! What the hell is wrong with me? I shook my head frantically, kneeling down and clutching my black hair between my fingers. I had never been much of an expert when it came to affairs of the heart, more specifically _Love_. I never thought much of it, and often scoffed at the idea of being in love with someone. And love at first sight? That was about as bad as Werewolves and Imprinting. I mean, seriously, how hard is it to believe that you can fall in love with a single look? This isn't a fairytale!

"Ugghh! What have I gotten myself into?"

"I don't know. But it must be pretty bad if you're talking to yourself,"

I let out a small yelp, jumping up and taking on a strange stance, similar to the one Renji had performed when his Zabimaru turned into a broom. Matsumoto stood there, her head cocked to the side and a curious look on her face. "R-Rangiku!"

She blinked. "Are you okay, Jordan-chan?"

"A-Aa. I-I'm fine," I cleared my throat, looking away and fixing my clothes.

Matsumoto stared at me for a minute before a knowing look crossed her face, her lips curled up into a grin. "Jordan-chan is having boy problems~!" she sang. "I can't believe little Jordan is having a problem with a boy! She's finally growing up!" My eye twitched, a tic mark appearing just below my eye. So what if I never went hunting for guys? I was more focused on me than trying to find a man. I mean seriously! "So tell me, who is it?"

"No one! I'm not having a boy problem!" I cried, but the dust of red gave it away, despite how hard I tried to conceal it. Matsumoto had radar for these kinds of things.

"Renji?"

"No way!"

"Ichigo?"

"Matsumoto..."

"Ooo, is it Hitsugaya-taichou?"

"Never!"

"That's cold, Midori-chan~" she whined, a pout on her lips.

"Matsumoto!" I groaned, walking around her. "I'm telling you, it's not a guy!"

"Someone I don't know, then." she confirmed, following after me with a hand to her chin. She clearly wasn't letting this go, like she ever did to begin with. "I've never seen you hang out with anyone I don't know. Someone at school? A new friend, maybe?" she grinned in a cat like manner. "Ohh~? Love at first sight, perhaps~?"

"Love at first sight does not exist! It's just bullcrap that people made up to explain lust for someone's body!" _Freeze_. Did that mean I was lusting for him? Had I mistaken this feeling for love, when really it was just my teenage hormones going to work? Ugh! I was over-thinking this too much! I shook my head again and continued walking, ignoring the questioning look from Matsumoto.

She followed after me silently, at first, her hands behind her back as she leaned her body only slightly backwards as she walked. Her eyes stayed trained on me, as if searching for any little indication to solve the mystery, but I gave her none. What would happen if she found out who it was? _What_ it was? Would she call me a traitor? Report me to her captain and then Soul Society? She must of seen the worried look, because she caught up to me, her hand laying gently on my shoulder, her voice matching. "You can tell me. I promise it'll stay between us,"

"If.. If something is forbidden," I paused, swallowing hard. "Does that mean it's wrong?"

"Hmm?" she put an index finger to her chin, looking up at the sky. "That's a good question. Depends on what it is, I guess."

"Love?"

She blinked, staring at me blankly for a minute. Things seemed to click in her head and she sent me a soft, knowing smile. "You fell for the enemy, didn't you?" I stayed silent. How could I admit that? It sounded so wrong out in the open, like I had just murdered a million people. "Who?"

"His name is Stark," I answered softly, staring up at the darkening sky as I remembered the male. "He's an Espada, part of Aizen's Army," I paused. "Does that make me a horrible person? I mean, maybe it's in my head. I don't even know the guy!"

Matsumoto smiled, wrapping her arms tight around my shoulders from the side and resting her cheek against my own, much like a mother would do to a child. I had always believed that Matsumoto would make a good mother, aside from the drinking, anyway. "It's not in your head. Your eyes are screaming your feelings. I can tell, your heart has already linked with his. It's too late to pull out," she tightened her grip and lowered her voice, just above a whisper. "It doesn't make you a horrible person, Midori-chan. We can't help who we fall in love with. I, too, am in love with the enemy,"

"That doesn't count, Matsu!" I complained with a frown. "You fell for him _before _he was a traitor!"

"Not quite," she shook her head with a sad chuckle. "He was a traitor from the very beginning. I just didn't realize it,"

"We were all fooled,"

She nodded, releasing me and slapping my shoulder hard. "I say go for it!"

I scowled, rubbing my stinging shoulder. Was that _really_ necessary? For her, I guess it was. "Maybe,"

_**Let's Make New Memories **_

When I returned with the bag of store bought food, I found the two hollows in the same place as before. I had vaguely wondered on the way back if they would even be there when I returned, figuring they used the food as an excuse to get away without a problem. But I was happy to find that they were still there. The thought that maybe they trusted me also made me feel happy. But it may not even be that. They may just be that confident that they can kill me which, depending on what number Stark is (because Lilinette didn't feel like an Espada), he probably could.

When I entered the clearing, Lilinette's head snapped up before her eye narrowed and she stalked over to me, resting her hands on her hips. "It took you long enough! I was beginning to think you ditched us!"

"Gomen. I ran into a friend on the way and we got to talking," I held the bag out to her and she ripped it from my hands, returning to Stark's side before taking every item out and inspecting it with a sparkling eye. "It's not much, just some junk food from the convenience store,"

Lilinette had settled for a bag of potatoe chips, but she seemed to be struggling to open it. Finally, she got so angry she ripped the bag into bits, scattering the salty treat all over herself, the laying Stark, and the grass. Stark opened his eyes to glare at her but, like earlier, she simply ignored him, reaching out to grab a chip that had landed on his stomach. She popped it into her mouth and began to chew. When she swallowed, her eye lit up again and she reached for more. "You have to try these, Stark!"

He grunted in response, not making any movement indicating that he planned to do that. Lilinette scowled at this.

"We probably won't get another chance! You said so yourself! So try it!"

I watched as the pair argued back and fourth. It was amazing, seeing the way they reacted to one another. It was like they were brother and sister, the bond between them was clear as day. I bit my lip to stop from laughing when Lilinette tried to force him to eat the chips, at which they started to argue again. While Lilinette's retorts were heated and annoyed, Stark's were just lazy. It was amazing that the two could get along so well. But that was close to the same thing as Ichigo and Renji. They were always in each other's face, but they had the other's back if it called for it.

"How long are you going to stand there?" Stark asked, his eyes trained on me as he held the smaller girl back with one hand on her forehead. She struggled to get closer, but with his long reach and power, she failed with each attempt. "Sit,"

"Thanks," I smiled softly, avoiding his gaze while I took a seat on the other side of his body, facing him just as Lilinette had before she started to argue with him.

"Fine!" Lilinette scowled, sitting across from me with her arms crossed. "You better not change your mind! Because I'm not sharing!"

"Wasn't planning on it," he mumbled, laying back down. He had to of been the laziest Espada ever.

Paying attention to Stark, I failed to notice what Lilinette had picked up next. She shook it before setting it next to her ear. "What's this?"

I looked over, my eyes wide. I leaned over trying to stop her. "Lilinette, matte - !" It was too late. She uncapped the bottle and it exploded in her face, covering her in soda stickyness. She blinked in surprise, a tic mark appearing on the back of her head. She growled, throwing the bottle across the clearing. With a sigh, I removed my white button up shirt (which I used in place of a hoodie) and draped it over her head, using the sides to wipe her face off. "Mattaku," I whispered, ignoring her protests. I failed to notice Stark staring at me. As I continued what I was doing, I felt a very familiar spirtiual pressure and froze. It'd be bad if I was found with these two, but it'd probably end worse off for them.

Stark must of sensed it, to, because he stood up abruptly. "It's time to leave, Lilinette."

"Demo - !" she whined in complaint, but Stark wouldn't hear it.

"Let's go,"

She pouted, but stood and followed him. Before they could leave the clearing, I called out his name, making him turn and stare at me, his expression still blank. "Ano... will I get to see you both again?" I cursed myself for almost slipping and asking solely about him. As much as I liked Lilinette, I couldn't help myself from wanting to spend one on one time with him.

He didn't say anything, but he seemed thoughtful. Finally, he spoke the words I didn't want to hear. "We will. On the battlefield, as enemies." And then they disappeared. I had already known that, but hearing those words from him... it made my heart ache in a way I didn't know it could. I really hated this. How could someone make me feel so out of sync after less than an hour of knowing him? Well, I guess by now it had been a little over an hour. Caught up in my thoughts, I didn't notice that the familiar reiatsu had reached me. Atleast not until he placed a hand on my shoulder to get my attention. Of course, he had to lean up on his tip toes to reach that high.

"What are you doing way out here?" Toushiro questioned, glancing around at our surroundings. "You're supposed to be on watch,"

"I, errr... I took a break, yeah, that's it! I took a break!" I forced a grin, holding up a bag of gummy worms. I could tell by looking into his aqua colored eyes that he didn't believe me, that he could see through the mask I had forced up upon his arrival, and that he knew I was hiding something. But he didn't question it or push it. He simply ordered me back to Urahara's shop, lecturing me the whole way about abandoning my post without a word. I couldn't focus on his words, though. My mind had strayed back to Stark. I wanted to see him again, but I knew he was right. The only time we'd cross paths again would be on the battlefield, as enemies, trying to take one another's life. Life could be so cruel sometimes.

"Midori!" Toushiro hollered, several tic marks appearing on his head as he glared at me.

"H-Hai?" I swallowed. He may of been small and down right adorable, but he was **scary**~ when he got angry. And boyyy did he look angry.

"Did you hear a single word I said?" he questioned, his voice laboured as he tried to keep calm. Keyword: **Tried**.

"Eheheh... no?"

"**MIDORI!**"

_**For the Sake of my Sanity, I have to see you again. **_

It had been awhile since the day I met Stark, and I knew I had been acting like a depressed nut job. I always thought it was so stupid when people acted like that, just to blame love for it. I thought it was stupid and sickening, yet here I am, acting the same way I swore I never would. I couldn't help it. I tried to forget about him, but he plagued my mind day and night. I thought about him, I dreamed about him. It was horrible, and I knew that the others were worried, but what could I do? I wasn't fully prepared to accept me being in love with him, it was just too ridiculous to believe. I was so tired of it, I was actually tempted to ask Urahara for help. But, what could he do? Sure, he was a freaking genius that seemed to know _everything_, but could he really fix matters of the heart? I was pretty damn sure there was no cure for love-sickness...

I sighed, my head flat on the cold wood surface of my desk as I stared at the window. The sky was a bright baby blue with just a few fluffy white clouds scattered about. It was the exact same as _that _day, and filled me with a new sense of longing. Damn bastard. The hell did I have to fall for you for? And he probably had no clue. I doubt he'd feel the same, anyway. I was just a mere human, and how could an all-powerful hollow, Espada or otherwise, ever fall for a mere human? Even if that human _was_ on the same length as a Shinigami. But that was beside the point. It was a matter of principle and pride!

"Midori-chan?"

I twitched at that voice. I knew that voice. I hated that voice. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate Orihime, per say, I just... _strongly_ dislike her. But it's nothing personal, I swear! It's just, I really can't stand damsels in distress, and she's kind of... well, she always needs saving. It pisses me off. She gives all women a bad name, damn it! "Hai?"

"Are you okay?" she asked, softly.

I didn't bother looking at her. Where does she get off being worried about me? We're not even friends. "Fine,"

"Really? Because the fact that you've sighed about a hundred times since you entered the room and class hasn't even started yet says different," Tatsuki commented. Of course my lie wasn't very believable, but she didn't have to shoot it down like that. Jeez.

"Nandemo nai,"

"Ugh, you're so hopeless! Let's go, Orihime!"

"Demo - "

"She'll be fine!"

I scoffed, glad that they had finally left me alone. I tried to close my eyes, hoping to get some sleep (which I have been deprived of since _that_ day), but it didn't work. Everytime I closed my eyes, I thought of _him_ and his stupid beautiful blue eyes. Asshole. "Damn it!" I slammed my forehead against the wood, harder than I meant to. This resulted in me springing back in my seat, clutching my forehead and muttering, "_Itai!_" under my breath.

"Idiot. The hell was that for?" Ichigo asked as he took his seat infront of me.

"You're right," I muttered. I noticed his body tense as he froze, slowly turning around to look at me with wide, fearful eyes. "Nani?"

"Did you just.. _agree _with me?" he twitched, springing up and grabbing my shoulders. "You never agree with me! Is the world ending or something?"

I cocked my head to the side, staring at him like he was an idiot. Which he was, but that's beside the point. "Ichigo?"

"Hai?"

"Are you on crack?"

"Nani - Itai!"

I glanced at Rukia, who had just kicked Ichigo in the back, thus sending him flying into the wall of the classroom, and smiled. "Arigatou, Rukia~"

"Sure thing," she grinned with pride, sitting at the desk beside Ichigo's. "But, it is a bit weird. You've been acting strange for awhile now,"

"Ever since she came back with Toushiro," Ichigo commented, rubbing his back and throwing a glare at the short shinigami before retaking his seat.

"That's **Captain Hitsugaya**,"

"Oh, hey Toushiro."

A tic mark appeared on the small captain's head at the blatant disrespect, but before he could act on that annoyance, his lieutenant stepped forward, instantly gaining the attention of **every-freaking-male** in the classroom. "Midori-chan is in love~" she cooed, winking at me.

Each and every one of them turned to look at me, bearing mixed expressions. I groaned, sinking down in my seat and facepalming. "I am not!"

"You are to!"

"Matsumoto," Toushiro scolded before taking his seat. "Don't force people into believing they feel something they don't,"

"But, Taichou~!" she whined with a pout. "Midori does feel it! She's in denial!"

"Denial?" Yumichika ran a hand through his hair. "Such an ugly thing,"

"Like you?" I muttered under my breath, but he heard me.

A tic mark appeared and he glared at me. "How dare you! And stop laughing, Ikkaku!"

Ikkaku had fallen against the wall, his arms wrapped tight around his stomach as his obknoxious laughter filled the classroom. It was contagious, apparantly, because the rest of us soon joined him, other than Toushirou - whom I've _never_ seen laugh - and Yumichika - who was the reason for the laughter. It felt nice to laugh without a care in the world, but I should of known it wouldn't last. I felt a small reiatsu, one I knew very well. It was faint and only lasted a second, but I knew it was there. And for some reason, I felt as if it were meant for me, meant to get my attention. I jumped up from my seat, ignoring the looks and calls of my friends, rushing past the teacher as she entered the room. I ignored her yells as I ran down the hall.

He was here. Stark was here, in the world of the living. Did that mean the battle was beginning? Did he have a reason for being here? I pushed my legs farther, using Shunpo to get me there as quick as my power would allow. By the time I reached the clearing, I was out of breath and had to hunch over to regain my normal breathing pattern.

"Did you breathe at all on the way here?"

"Lilinette!" My eyes caught hers and she grinned, clearly amused by my current state.

"Did you miss us that much?" she questioned, folding her arms over her chest and grinning smugly.

"Aa," Why deny it? I wouldn't admit to missing Stark more than her, though. My eyes looked farther across the clearing where Stark stood, leaning against the tree with an expression that clearly said he didn't want to be there. My smile faltered and I quickly looked back to Lilinette. "What are you doing here?"

"That's an easy one! See, Stark - "

"Lilinette!" Stark yelled, cutting her off. I blinked in surprise at him, that being the first time he had raised his voice. The last time they were here, no matter what she did or how much she annoyed him, he never once raised his voice. But this time was obviously different. What did Lilinette have to say that I wasn't supposed to hear? Orders from Aizen? Or was it something else?

She pouted at him. "Fine, geez."

I raised my eyebrow as silence fell over us. I was beginning to regret coming here. Stark obviously wasn't happy about it, and I knew Ichigo and the others were probably worried with the sudden exit I had taken. Maybe if I just slowly back away, I can leave without them noticing. I managed one step before Lilinette caught on, turning her glare on me.

"Oh, no! You're not going anywhere!"

"If she wants to leave, let her."

I winced. Maybe he didn't even mean anything by it. But then, why did it hurt so bad? I decided now was as good a time as any to use my wonderful lying skills that have gotten me out of quite a bit of trouble. "Gomen, Lilinette. I really shouldn't have come here, anyway. I was watching over a friend's little sisters and kinda left short notice. I need to get back and make sure they're okay. It was nice seeing you again, though." Without giving her a chance to respond, I turned on my heal and shunpo-ed away.

"Matte!" she cried, but it was lost amongst the wind rushing in my ears and the pounding of my heart in my chest. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I thought that, maybe, if I went to see him, I'd feel better than I had these past couple weeks. But that didn't seem to be the case. I think it did more harm than good. Thanks again, heart, you've screwed me over once more! What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't return to school, not like this. It'd raise even more questions. Couldn't go home, since I lived with Urahara. Couldn't go to Ichigo's because his dad would bug the hell out of me 'til I told him what's bothering me. There was only one place I could go; the park.

As I expected, the park was nearly deserted, just a few younger kids there with their parents. I followed the path, setting myself down on a bench in the middle of the long walkway and under the shade of a tree, where noone was around to mess with me. I slid down it, my head inclined towards the sky as my arm fell over my eyes. I realized I brought this on myself. It was stupid of me to believe that he would of wanted to see me. I was just a human, just _trash_, as Ulquiorra had said. Definately not worth the time of a Hollow. And besides, I found it hard to believe that Hollow's could love, anyway. But... they felt other emotions, right? Well, except Ulquiorra. I found it hard to believe that he felt anything. The Espada were different though. They didn't _just _take on human form, but they took on human _emotion_, to, even if they didn't realize or understand it.

"Ahhh, but it doesn't matter," I scowled.

"What doesn't matter?"

I froze. For the love of god, _please_ tell me I imagined that. Carefully removing my arm, I looked at the figure standing infront of me, his face as blank as it usually was. This was just not my day. Mentally slapping myself, I recovered my eyes and tried not to make a big deal out of it. "Nandemo nai,"

"Weren't you supposed to go babysit?" he questioned, watching me carefully.

I almost twitched. Damn lies. Did they have to catch up to me? "They're uhh... running around playing, _or something_..."

He raised a brow. "Is there a reason for that lie?"

This time I did twitch. "You knew from the beginning, didn't you?"

"Yes,"

"Figures," I paused. "Where's Lilinette?"

"Back in the forest. She sent me after you,"

Of course. He wouldn't of come of his own free will, baka. "Oh, right."

Silence fell over us and I closed my eyes, willing him to leave. I didn't hear anything from him, and I assumed he had left. But, being the curious person I was, I had to check and make sure. When I removed my arm and opened my eyes, I was relieved that he wasn't standing infront of me anymore. But when I glanced to the side, he was sitting on the bench next to me. I jumped in surprise, nearly falling off the bench. The hell did Espada move around like cats? He glanced at me, amusement clear in his blue eyes, but his expression still did not change. I was beginning to believe that Ulquiorra had competition.

The silence remained, and I found one question in particular floating on my tongue. It came out before I could stop it. "I thought you said we'd see each other next on the battlefield?"

"I did,"

"You here because of Aizen again?"

"No. He doesn't know we're here,"

I raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit worried. Sure, he was strong, but was he strong enough to stand up to Aizen? "You sure that's - "

"It's fine," he shrugged.

"Alright then," I muttered. "Why **are** you here, though?"

"Did you know, if you were a cat, you'd have lost about six of your lives already?" he questioned, clearly avoiding the question. Why didn't he want me to know why he was here? It didn't have anything to do with Aizen, right? Did he have plans of his own?

"Funny. Wanna tell me why you're avoiding that question?"

"Seven lives,"

"Stark," I scowled at him, falling back against the bench. Were all Espada this difficult? Wait, I already knew the answer to that.

Stark didn't respond. He just closed his eyes and rested his cheek on his fist. With a sigh, I moved my gaze to the sky. Birds chirped above us as they made their way through the sky, bouncing from tree to tree as they chased each other. The wind blew our hair and rustled the bright green leaves on the trees. A few children could be heard in the distance, laughing as they played with their parents and friends. It was a beautiful day, one that should be enjoyed. The kind of day that you don't expect anything to go wrong on. The sun was hidden behind a soft gray cloud, and the day was cool. Not cold, but not hot, either. It was perfect in my eyes. But I couldn't bring myself to fully admire it. My thoughts were too focused on the male sitting beside me.

Stark stood up suddenly, startling me from my thoughts. He moved to stand directly infront of me, his eyes locked on my own. I couldn't look away, even if I wanted to. "You still want to know why we came back?"

"Mochiron!"

"Because of you,"

"Me?" I blinked, pointing my index finger at myself.

He nodded, moving his gaze to the sky above us. "Since I can remember, I've always been alone. Because of how strong I was, no other hollow could stand to be around me. They always died because they weren't strong enough to handle my power. I'm not sure when it happened, but because of that loneliness, my soul was split into two,"

"And Lilinette is the second half?" I guessed.

He nodded again. "I'm not even sure which of us was the original. But we were together to stop the loneliness that we felt. I still feel it, but it's not as strong as it used to be, thanks to Lilinette. I joined Aizen because he made me believe that I could be around people without them dying. They were strong enough to be around me. But I was still lonely," his eyes closed for a minute before re-opening, this time locked with my own, his voice barely above a whisper. "You take that away, completely. I don't feel lonely around you, and neither does Lilinette,"

I had no clue what to say. I had never been in a position like this. Whenever Matsumoto would question me about it, I'd always reply, _I'll cross that bridge when and _if_ I come to it_. Now that I was at that bridge, I had no idea how to get across. I looked away from him, tugging at the collar of my shirt as my face started to heat up. I cursed myself for that. Like a blushing schoolgirl, I swear.

"You're strong," he stated. I knew what he meant. I was strong enough to be around him without having to worry about his power destroying me. Did that mean he wanted to stay?

"Stark?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what love is?"

His eyes widened, not expecting the question. "No,"

I stood up, unable to believe what I was about to do. I got closer to him, staring into his eyes. "Then let me show you," I grabbed the back of his head, forcing his lips down onto my own. I wanted to convey everything I felt, and Matsumoto always told me that the best way to do that was through a kiss. She always said that when you kiss someone, that person can feel everything you felt, and I was hoping she was right. Stark relaxed, his hands gripping my waist and pulling me closer to his body. I felt it. That level of happiness that people say you can only feel when you're in love. I could feel it so clearly and, suddenly, all that crap about love didn't seem as stupid.

I pulled back, smiling up at him. "I love you Stark and I... I don't ever want to be apart from you,"

His lips twitched up into a smile and his grip tightened. "You won't have to be,"

"You're not alone anymore," I murmured, kissing him again. He responded instantly, his arms moving to wrap around my waist. "Stay with me?"

"Of course,"

"Finally! I told you she'd want you, Stark!" The two of us pulled apart to look at the grinning blonde, who looked extremely proud of herself. "You should be thanking me! If I hadn't pushed him into coming here, there's no way he would of!"

I laughed, placing my hand ontop of her head. "And how would you like me to repay you?"

She grinned. "I want more human food! The same as last time!"

I laughed again as Stark came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. Matsumoto had been right, about everything. I was happy, and I knew these memories would last a lifetime.

**~Fin~**

"Matte, Matte, Matte," I pushed the _Fin_ sign out of the way before returning to Stark's side. "I have another question,"

"Of course you do," he grinned softly. "Eight lives,"

I scoffed. "What Espada are you?"

"You don't know?" he blinked. I shook my head and he sighed, removing the white glove from his left hand to reveal a big, bold **1** in black. "I'm the Primera,"

"Holy shit. Never would of guessed that one,"

"See? Even Mido thinks you don't act very Primera-like!"

"Oi, I never said that!"

"But that's what you meant!"

"No, it's not!"

Stark sighed as he watched the two, a smile tugging at his lips. He really wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

**Japanese Words, In order of Appearance:**

**Reiatsu** - Spiritual Pressure

**Shinigami** - Soul Reaper

**-sama** - Honorific, meaning "Master" or the like. Denotes great respect.

**Nani?** - What

**Ano...** - Ummm...

**Iie** - No

**Magi?** - Really?

**-chan** - Honorific, meaning "Endearment", mainly used towards girls, but can be used for boys, as well.

**Aa** - Yeah

**Taichou** - Captain

**Gomen** - Sorry

**Matte** - Wait

**Mattaku** - Geez/Honestly

**Demo** - But (at the start of a sentence)

**Hai** - Yes

**Nandemo Nai** - It's nothing

**Itai** - Ouch

**Arigatou** - Thank you

**Shunpo** - Flash Step

**Baka** - Idiot/Fool

**Mochiron** - Of Course

**Oi** - Hey


End file.
